Thinking about buying a '01-'03 Lincoln LS V8

[efy]

I am 16 and thinking about buying an '01-'03 Lincoln LS V8. I want one with less than 100,000 miles and $9,000 or less. I have found several good deals on autotrader.com. I want heated seats and a sunroof as options. It gets decent fuel economy, has 252 horsepower (0-60 in less than 7 seconds), rides very smoothly, and handles with agility. Do ya'll think a LS would make a good first car? Thanks!! :shades:

[armadamaster]

What do ya'll think?

 

I think ya need the biggest pile of sh!t for your first car you can get, and be forced to drive it for at least two years without destroying it, but that's just me. And no, I'm not 80 years old.

 

As far as Lincolns are concerned, desirables are as follows, "1" being most, on down the line:

 

1. Town Car

2. Mark 8

3. LS

 

That is all.

Edited May 27, 2008 by Armada Master

[LM4EVR]

I think ya need the biggest pile of sh!t for your first car you can get, and be forced to drive it for at least two years without destroying it, but that's just me. And no, I'm not 80 years old.

 

As far as Lincolns are concerned, desirables are as follows, "1" being most, on down the line:

 

1. Town Car

2. Mark 8

3. LS

 

That is all.

________________________

 

With all due respect, your list isn't very appealing to most 16 yr old boys. A Town Car is the BEST Lincoln built and will easily give 300K miles in reliable service. And for a teenager who has a particular interest in TCs, It would great, but not this young fellow.

 

The Mark VII is a beautiful car, but too old at this point and way too complex - it would cost a fortune to fix if something went wrong.

 

I think a well maintained LS would be a nice car for a young person. If he has saved his money he should go for it. It will probably cost less to insure than an equivelant Mustang. The rear-wheel drive is much more durable than a FWD. Most were purchased new by woman and older men, who are generally less abusive to their cars. I would suggest a one owner LS - a two owner LS would be an iffy proposition. Get a CarFax report.

 

And it gets him into an American car and into the Lincoln-Mercury family of owners! Who knows, he may stay with Lincoln-Mercury as an adult. And it isn't a ricer!

 

Good luck young man!

[efy]

________________________

 

With all due respect, your list isn't very appealing to most 16 yr old boys. A Town Car is the BEST Lincoln built and will easily give 300K miles in reliable service. And for a teenager who has a particular interest in TCs, It would great, but not this young fellow.

 

The Mark VII is a beautiful car, but too old at this point and way too complex - it would cost a fortune to fix if something went wrong.

 

I think a well maintained LS would be a nice car for a young person. If he has saved his money he should go for it. It will probably cost less to insure than an equivelant Mustang. The rear-wheel drive is much more durable than a FWD. Most were purchased new by woman and older men, who are generally less abusive to their cars. I would suggest a one owner LS - a two owner LS would be an iffy proposition. Get a CarFax report.

 

And it gets him into an American car and into the Lincoln-Mercury family of owners! Who knows, he may stay with Lincoln-Mercury as an adult. And it isn't a ricer!

 

Good luck young man!

Thanks. Although the Town Cars are VERY reliable, I would never buy one, especially since I will be driving my car to school!! I have saved about $6000 and my parents are giving me a '99 Ranger with 190k miles. According to Kelly Blue Book, it is worth about $4000. I will sell it. It is a VERY reliable truck but I want something newer and sportier. My dad will be paying my insurance (until I get a ticket or I have an accident that is my fault), so that is not a very big issue. I will always own Ford vehicles. Nobody in my family has ever had an unreliable Ford. Thanks again.

[efy]

I think ya need the biggest pile of sh!t for your first car you can get, and be forced to drive it for at least two years without destroying it, but that's just me. And no, I'm not 80 years old.

 

As far as Lincolns are concerned, desirables are as follows, "1" being most, on down the line:

 

1. Town Car

2. Mark 8

3. LS

 

That is all.

Thanks, but no thanks. The Lincoln Town Car is NOT desirable to a 16 year-old guy. Are you sure that you're not 80 years old?!?! Honestly, why do you think that my first car should be a pile of junk?

[LM4EVR]

Thanks, but no thanks. The Lincoln Town Car is NOT desirable to a 16 year-old guy. Are you sure that you're not 80 years old?!?! Honestly, why do you think that my first car should be a pile of junk?

 

LOL LOL - No, your first car should not be a pile of junk! He may not be 80 but he is not 16 in todays world. :lastyear: A reliable car to get back and forth to school is a necessity because todays cars are so complex, and although you may be a clever young man, they are difficult to work on. But they are more reliable. The cars of yesterday were very simple to work on. My best bud and I would go to the junk yard on a Saturday morning looking for parts. We did our own work. I am sure that is what Armada Master is thinking of. My Mother used to look at the pile of parts in the driveway and ask "do you remember where thay all go!". LOL Those days are gone, sadly, for most of today's kids. Not to mention inspection is more stringent these days. My friends Plymouth Fury sagged (broke), due to rust, in the middle (head and tail lights pointed skyward!). He fixed it with 2X4s! Wouldn't fly today. :titanic:

 

As for the Town Car. When I was your age I wanted a 1968 Continental (suicide doors). Loved those cars. My father nixed it. And on second thought with Premium leaded gas going for about .70 cents a gallon in 1975 he was probably right. I made $4.10 an hour. :shrug:

 

Sometimes we forget time marches on. Take care. And take care of that Lincoln!

[armadamaster]

Thanks, but no thanks. The Lincoln Town Car is NOT desirable to a 16 year-old guy. Are you sure that you're not 80 years old?!?! Honestly, why do you think that my first car should be a pile of junk?

 

Builds character. I just don't think anybody should have a new(ish) car for their first one, gotta crawl before ya can walk. I'm pretty sure I'm not 80, birth certificate says 1977 for some reason.

 

A small pickup wouldn't be bad, and you could learn some mechanical basics from it since it can be worked on relatively simply.

 

I think a Panther ideal for a first time driver, super safe, easy to repair, dependable as you can get, inexpensive on parts, big backseat.

[johnjyi]

My first car was a 1978 Fairmont 4-Dr Sedan. Stop laughing!

 

When all you can afford is a very used car like that, you don't complain as long as it gets you to and from places.

 

Anyway, I am a believer that a beginner should learn/practice on a strong (read "crashworthy") vehicle. Not saying you'd be the one to do the crashing, but there are plenty others out there who will be working out the bugs in their driving skills.

 

In my opinion, an LS may be a bit too small...especially since there's a lot of mechanical and electrical parts packed in pretty tight. Like Armada said, perhaps a good condition Panther (would prefer Grand Marquis) would be nice and safe.

 

My kid will be practicing on our oldest car, a 1997 Toyota Corolla. No way she's learning on either of the Mustangs. Let me just say that I'm not really looking forward to that since I bought it new in 1996 and took great care of it. At least it's the wife's primary car.

[twintornados]

I think ya need the biggest pile of sh!t for your first car you can get, and be forced to drive it for at least two years without destroying it, but that's just me. And no, I'm not 80 years old.

 

As far as Lincolns are concerned, desirables are as follows, "1" being most, on down the line:

 

1. Town Car

2. Mark 8

3. LS

 

That is all.

 

Hey Efy....if you want to consider "piles of shit" for your first car as Armada Master suggests...AM has a convenient list at the bottom of every one of his postings...

:hysterical:

[theoldwizard]

I am 16 and thinking about buying an '01-'03 Lincoln LS V8. I want one with less than 100,000 miles and $9,000 or less. I have found several good deals on autotrader.com. I want heated seats and a sunroof as options. It gets decent fuel economy, has 252 horsepower (0-60 in less than 7 seconds), rides very smoothly, and handles with agility. Do ya'll think a LS would make a good first car? Thanks!! :shades:

If you can find a LS V6 with a 5 speed, you will be amazed !

[atomaro]

Builds character. I just don't think anybody should have a new(ish) car for their first one, gotta crawl before ya can walk. I'm pretty sure I'm not 80, birth certificate says 1977 for some reason.

 

A small pickup wouldn't be bad, and you could learn some mechanical basics from it since it can be worked on relatively simply.

 

I think a Panther ideal for a first time driver, super safe, easy to repair, dependable as you can get, inexpensive on parts, big backseat.

 

 

There is a lot of sense to this post. In life you like to move forward and move up, not backwards. Start with a POS, as you get older and earn some more $$ you step up. Kind of like why a lot of people start off renting an apartment, then buy a condo or townhouse, and then finally buy a house to live in for the rest of their lives. If you could live with the reality that your first car could be nicer than your 2nd or even 3rd car, then do it. Don't take this as insulting, but if you can't live with that possibility...then drive the Ranger.

 

My history of cars:

High School:

- 1985 Buick Regal...150K miles when purchased...no AC or torque converter lockout, not even a "tape deck", white walls too

- 1967 Mustang Fastback. Still have it today.

- 1985 Toyota 4-Runner. Sold Buick for 1K and bought the 4 Runner (100K miles) after I fixed a lot of things

 

College:

- 1988 Ford F-150. Fixed head gasket and clutch on 4-Runner and sold it for $3500 to get the F-150.

 

After College:

- 1999 F-150. Sold the 88 and bought the 99.

 

Always moving forward, never backward

[efy]

My first car was a 1978 Fairmont 4-Dr Sedan. Stop laughing!

 

When all you can afford is a very used car like that, you don't complain as long as it gets you to and from places.

 

Anyway, I am a believer that a beginner should learn/practice on a strong (read "crashworthy") vehicle. Not saying you'd be the one to do the crashing, but there are plenty others out there who will be working out the bugs in their driving skills.

 

In my opinion, an LS may be a bit too small...especially since there's a lot of mechanical and electrical parts packed in pretty tight. Like Armada said, perhaps a good condition Panther (would prefer Grand Marquis) would be nice and safe.

 

My kid will be practicing on our oldest car, a 1997 Toyota Corolla. No way she's learning on either of the Mustangs. Let me just say that I'm not really looking forward to that since I bought it new in 1996 and took great care of it. At least it's the wife's primary car.

The LS is definately not a smallish car; it's a mid-size according to the EPA. It got 5 stars in all categories of crash-tests. (I think; at least in frontal crash tests.) I KNOW THAT THE PANTHERS ARE SAFE AND RELIABLE BUT I AM NOT GOING TO DRIVE A BIG GRANNY CAR! Thanks, though.

[efy]

Builds character. I just don't think anybody should have a new(ish) car for their first one, gotta crawl before ya can walk. I'm pretty sure I'm not 80, birth certificate says 1977 for some reason.

 

A small pickup wouldn't be bad, and you could learn some mechanical basics from it since it can be worked on relatively simply.

 

I think a Panther ideal for a first time driver, super safe, easy to repair, dependable as you can get, inexpensive on parts, big backseat.

I don't quite agree, but... whatever makes you happy. This is 2008. An '01, '02, or '03 LS wouldn't exactly be "new(ish)."

[efy]

LOL LOL - No, your first car should not be a pile of junk! He may not be 80 but he is not 16 in todays world. :lastyear: A reliable car to get back and forth to school is a necessity because todays cars are so complex, and although you may be a clever young man, they are difficult to work on. But they are more reliable. The cars of yesterday were very simple to work on. My best bud and I would go to the junk yard on a Saturday morning looking for parts. We did our own work. I am sure that is what Armada Master is thinking of. My Mother used to look at the pile of parts in the driveway and ask "do you remember where thay all go!". LOL Those days are gone, sadly, for most of today's kids. Not to mention inspection is more stringent these days. My friends Plymouth Fury sagged (broke), due to rust, in the middle (head and tail lights pointed skyward!). He fixed it with 2X4s! Wouldn't fly today. :titanic:

 

As for the Town Car. When I was your age I wanted a 1968 Continental (suicide doors). Loved those cars. My father nixed it. And on second thought with Premium leaded gas going for about .70 cents a gallon in 1975 he was probably right. I made $4.10 an hour. :shrug:

 

Sometimes we forget time marches on. Take care. And take care of that Lincoln!

Thanks for understanding!!!!!!!!!!!!

[efy]

Hey Efy....if you want to consider "piles of shit" for your first car as Armada Master suggests...AM has a convenient list at the bottom of every one of his postings...

:hysterical:

Hahaha! Yeah! Not a Ford on that list, so yeah!!

[efy]

If you can find a LS V6 with a 5 speed, you will be amazed !

OK. I'm not COMPLETELY overlooking the V6s, but I'm leaning more towards the V8s. Since you have such a high opinion of the V6s, I'll make sure to check them out. Thanks!

[efy]

There is a lot of sense to this post. In life you like to move forward and move up, not backwards. Start with a POS, as you get older and earn some more $$ you step up. Kind of like why a lot of people start off renting an apartment, then buy a condo or townhouse, and then finally buy a house to live in for the rest of their lives. If you could live with the reality that your first car could be nicer than your 2nd or even 3rd car, then do it. Don't take this as insulting, but if you can't live with that possibility...then drive the Ranger.

 

My history of cars:

High School:

- 1985 Buick Regal...150K miles when purchased...no AC or torque converter lockout, not even a "tape deck", white walls too

- 1967 Mustang Fastback. Still have it today.

- 1985 Toyota 4-Runner. Sold Buick for 1K and bought the 4 Runner (100K miles) after I fixed a lot of things

 

College:

- 1988 Ford F-150. Fixed head gasket and clutch on 4-Runner and sold it for $3500 to get the F-150.

 

After College:

- 1999 F-150. Sold the 88 and bought the 99.

 

Always moving forward, never backward

I still don't understand why one should start out with a pile of junk if one is able to get a better vehicle. If you start out with a piece of crap, all the repairs will cost alot of money that a 16 year-old doesn't have!

[armadamaster]

Hey Efy....if you want to consider "piles of shit" for your first car as Armada Master suggests...AM has a convenient list at the bottom of every one of his postings...

:hysterical:

 

Second time I've had to use this in two days:

 

[theoldwizard]

OK. I'm not COMPLETELY overlooking the V6s, but I'm leaning more towards the V8s. Since you have such a high opinion of the V6s, I'll make sure to check them out. Thanks!

Notice I said V6 with a 5 speed manual. The V6 auto is just another grandpa car !

[twintornados]

Notice I said V6 with a 5 speed manual. The V6 auto is just another grandpa car !

Good luck finding one of those....... :rolleyes:

[atomaro]

I still don't understand why one should start out with a pile of junk if one is able to get a better vehicle. If you start out with a piece of crap, all the repairs will cost alot of money that a 16 year-old doesn't have!

 

 

Calm down young buck. I'm just giving you an alternative you possibly did not consider. Besides you said you had $9,000 saved...which can cover a ton of repairs or modifications to a less expensive vehicle. $9,000 may not seam like a lot of money to you, but its is. I personally chose the POS route because I had the means to fix the problems. But if you look at my list I had a POS car as a daily driver, and still have a weekend car that 95% of people out there would love to have.

Edited May 29, 2008 by atomaro

[LM4EVR]

ARMADA MASTER was born in 1977. Yikes, I am the old man here! And yet I understand efy's position.

 

And I didn't think about the costs of repairs on a modern piece of junk with all the electronics and hoses and what not. A young person might be swamped with serious repairs if he couldn't do them himself.

 

My first car was pretty nice. 1966 Rambler Classic 770, 327 V8, auto, A/C, pwr steering & brakes, push button AM/FM vibratone radio, airliner reclining individual adjustable front seats, window screens, twotone paint (metallic on the roof) WWs, brocade huplostery, it was a tough, fast beauty. And easy to work for. For instance the fuel filter was in the sediment bowl, right under the fuel pump, not in the tank where you couldn;t get it. Used to charge my own A/C!.. I put that thing back together a zillion times. Loved it. But the do it yourself days are fast waning. Now a days you gotta go ot votech HS just to take automechanics ( we had it in our local HS).

 

If he could save up 6grand he sounds responcible.

[Sevensecondsuv]

I agree with the POS route. Save your money for things that won't depreciate as you drive them.

 

That ranger would make an excelent first vehicle. Ranger's are nearly indestructable, get reasonably good mileage, are super easy to work on (electronics and hoses and all), and parts are a dime a dozen. I've rebuilt 'em from the ground up and there isn't hardly a part that cost's more than $200 on those things ($50 if you go the junkyard route).

 

As you stated, an 01-03 LS isn't exactly new, so you'll even be looking at fixing that. Given the LS's relative rarity and the fact that it is a Lincoln without a direct Ford counterpart, parts and service will be much more expensive than a ranger.

 

Panther's are also an excelent choice. If you can't get the granny car image out of your head, go look at 03-04 Mercury Marauders. Get an 98-03 crown vic, install a set of explorer 17" wheels, put a flowmaster dual exhaust system with long chrome tips, and put a nice set of leather buckets in it and no one will call it a granny car.

 

Anyways, that's just my $0.03 (inflation). Oh, and BTW I'm 22.

[RangerM]

Thanks. Although the Town Cars are VERY reliable, I would never buy one, especially since I will be driving my car to school!!

 

Don't know what you social life is like, but consider the SIZE of the back seat.

 

I drove a '78 Honda Accord hatch in my HS days. That big back seat would have come in very handy.

[twintornados]

The only good thing a having a POS for your vehicle is that you can drive it like a NYC bus driver that is late on his route

 

:hysterical: